Foodie Weekends,  are for those who  like to cook, for  Foodies and for Spectators who love food in all forms!  Guests determine the depth of their involvement, with options ranging from a visit to an area farmer’s market, local winery, garden harvest, cooking with me or just enjoying the great food!  Whether you are a Foodie, avid cook, spectator or wannabe cook,  these events are all about creating memorable experiences in a relaxing atmosphere involving food, spontaneous cooking and creating ways to take the everyday recipe to the next level.

Every class and event  is chock full of new recipes that you can duplicate at home!   This is a great gift idea for that home cook you know.  Itinerary and dates…

• 1 Room for 2 Nights, Murski Homestead – Two (Double Occupancy)
• Full Breakfast both mornings
• Farmer’s Market Tour
• Downtown Driving Tour
• Hands-On Cooking Class
• Local Wine Tasting and Dinner

2011 DATES: March 4-6,    March  11-13,      April 29-May1,    May 6-8,    May 13-15,    Sept. 2-4,    Sept. 9-11,    Oct. 14-16,    Oct. 21-23,    Oct. 28-30,    Nov. 11-13,   Nov. 18-20,    Dec. 2-4

Reserve your spot now for food and fun at the ranch or buy a gift certificate to introduce friends and  family to the Murski  Homestead B&B Experience!

Easy French food was the order of the day for the B&B Foodie Weekend Cooking Class recently!  After a foray to the local Farmers Market, we settled into the kitchen to begin cooking.  The menu included Scallops Provencal, Warm Cremini Mushroom Salad with Arugula and Prosciutto, Roasted Leg of Lamb Persillade, Zucchini Gratin, and Fresh Strawberry Sorbet!  Look for some of the great recipes to come…..the lamb was especially succulent with no gaminess due to a new method of preparation I taught during the class.

The Method:

Combine salt, sugar and garlic  with 2 quarts water in large bowl; stir until salt and sugar dissolve.  Open roast and remove all visible fat and connective tissue/coverings (this is a major step in reducing the gaminess!).  Lightly score
inside of lamb roast, making ¼ inch deep cuts spaced 1 inch apart in crosshatch pattern.  Submerge lamb in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

While lamb is brining, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 400 degrees.  Place garlic head cut side up on sheet of foil and drizzle with olive oil.  Wrap foil tightly around garlic; place on baking sheet and roast until coves are very soft and golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.  When cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic head to remove cloves from skins.  Mash cloves into paste with side of chef’s knife.  Combine 1 tablespoon of garlic paste and parsley leaves in small bowl.

Remove lamb from brine and pat dry with paper towels.  Rub garlic-parsley paste into  scored surface working paste
into  cuts.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roll lamb into compact roast, tucking in to form a log/leg shape.  Tie with twine at 1 inch intervals.

Proceed with your favorite roasting method and enjoy the  fruits of your labor!

Texas Wine & Ranch Life

Cooking Class instructor and Murski Homestead B&B Innkeeper, Pamela Murski, has teamed up with Windy Winery for our Winter-Spring 2010 “Dinners With The Vinter“.  These special events are all about wine, food and fun.  Windy Winery specializes in wine made only from Texas grapes!   Come to the ranch and enjoy a four (4) course wine pairing dinner with the vintner in a casual, yet fun and delicious atmosphere to learn all about wine from the experts themselves! 

January 22

February 11

March 15

April 13

May 10

Advance reservations and an overnight stay are required for these special events!  Call us at 877-690-0676 or reserve your place at the table  online.

Send your cooks to this Texas Bed and Breakfast, where they’ll breathe in plenty of fresh ranch air and work up an appetite exploring the historic countryside of Washington County, the birthplace of Texas. Then they’ll cooking instructor Pamela Murski  in her kitchen, where they’ll roll up their sleeves and get to the real fun.

There are several options of  cooking classes and events available at Murski Homestead Bed and Breakfast. Gather together a group of six to twelve friends and spend a few hours in the kitchen learning and having fun with Pamela and connecting around food. Or join her one day for a private class in the Murski Homestead B&B  kitchen, where individual attention is sure to give a great boost to your cooking skills. Another good option is to participate in one of several scheduled classes at Murski Homestead B&B.

Your cook will be thrilled with a gift of Foodie Travel.  For some folks, life just doesn’t get any better.

Saturday, the 21st at Lake Somerville, he and his group birded Overlook Park, Welch Park, and Yegua Creek Park.
Highlights were two Buffleheads in with a group of American Coots, a Red-breasted Merganser that we saw in flight and diving, a group of Wilson’s Snipe, and 3 Sprague’s Pipits flushed up in a short-grass field.  The entire bird list of sightings included:
Bufflehead- 2
Red-breasted Merganser- 1
Ruddy Duck- 22
Snow Goose- several skeins, plus two on the ground
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
American White Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
American Kestrel
American Coot
Killdeer
American Avocet- 3
Spotted Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Wilson’s Snipe- 9
Bonaparte’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Forster’s Tern
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher- 1
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
Northern Mockingbird
American Pipit
Sprague’s Pipit- 5
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Western Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch